Hudson County, New Jersey is the smallest county in the state, with just 47-square miles of land and 16-square miles of water. Hudson County is also the most densely populated of New Jersey’s twenty-one counties with an estimated 597,924 residents in 2009 according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The county also has one of the most diverse populations in the country with 40% of Hudson County’s population foreign born and over 50% speaking a language other than English at home.
In northeastern New Jersey, Hudson County is part of the vast New York City metropolitan area. Hudson County is comprised of twelve incorporated municipalities; the highly urbanized county boasts four cities: Bayonne, Jersey City, Hoboken and Union City. Jersey City is the county seat for Hudson County.
Jersey City is New Jersey’s second-largest city after Newark, and the largest city in Hudson County. Jersey City’s fast-expanding skyline rivals that of Lower Manhattan, which is separated from Jersey City by the Hudson River and Upper New York Bay. Transportation between Jersey City and New York City is readily available by train, light rail, waterway service plus major highways such as the New Jersey Turnpike. The Holland Tunnel, which carries motorists between downtown Jersey City and Lower Manhattan, sees heavy volumes of vehicle traffic each day.
Hudson County is one of the nation’s major transportation crossroads with an extensive network of interstate highways, state freeways, toll roads and vehicular water crossings. The National Highway Safety Administration states that twenty-two people were fatally injured in vehicle crashes in Hudson County during 2009. Three fatalities occurred as the result of vehicle accidents involving alcohol-impaired drivers, and twelve pedestrians were killed as a result of vehicle accidents. When a severe personal injury or death occurs as a result of a Hudson County vehicle accident, the victim’s family also suffers, with emotional and economic burdens that may last for years afterward.
Residents of Hudson County have choices for healthcare such as Bayonne Medical Center, Christ Hospital in Jersey City, Hoboken University Medical Center, Palisades Medical Center in North Bergen, and the Meadowlands Hospital Medical Center in Secaucus, New Jersey. Under new management as of December 2010, actions are being taken to restore the MeadowlandsHospital Medical Center’s services and reputation. Located just 10 minutes from the Lincoln Tunnel, the hospital plans immediate construction to begin in the emergency department, doubling it in size and improving service.
Hospitals in Hudson County face significant challenges in acquiring land for expansion given the lack of available land in the highly urbanized county and the high land costs. New Jersey’s ratio of primary care doctors to patients is 36 percent below the national average. A study by the New Jersey Council of Teaching Hospitals (NJCTH) has warned of a shortage of doctors in New Jersey. The NJCTH also states an estimated 98,000 deaths occur annually from preventable hospital mistakes or mishaps.
The structure of New Jersey’s court system is among the most simple in the nation. The state has only the following types of courts: Municipal courts, Tax Court, state Superior Court, which includes the trial courts, an Appellate Division and the New Jersey Supreme Court. The trial court in Hudson County sits at the Hudson County Administration Building, 595 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306. Both criminal and civil cases are heard at the trial court level. Typical civil cases involve contracts, personal injury, automobile accidents, employment and discrimination cases.
